Air Peace has clarified its stance on the recent arrest of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero, denying any involvement in his detention by the Department of State Services (DSS).
In a statement from the airlineās spokesperson, Omotade Makinwa, the airline addressed media claims that linked Ajaero’s arrest to a petition it had filed, asserting that these reports unfairly damaged its reputation.
Makinwa explained that the airline had filed a petition over a year ago, following an incident on May 3, 2023, when the NLC disrupted Air Peaceās operations during a larger dispute with the Imo State Government. Although Air Peace had no part in the conflict, the disruption led to significant financial losses and inconvenienced many passengers.
The statement read, “Air Peace is concerned about recent media reports suggesting that the NLC president’s arrest is tied to a petition we submitted in September 2023. This does not reflect the current relationship between Air Peace and the NLC. To clarify, on May 3, 2023, the NLC disrupted our operations in a wider protest against the Imo State Government. Even though Air Peace had no involvement in this dispute, our airline was unfairly targeted to apply pressure on the government. This disruption caused major financial losses and affected the travel plans of many Nigerians.”
Makinwa went on to explain that Air Peaceās legal team filed a formal petition against the NLC with the Nigerian Police following the disruption. Despite multiple attempts to follow up, no immediate action was taken by the authorities.
However, more than a year later, the police acted on the original petition, which allegedly resulted in Ajaero’s arrest. Makinwa added that before the arrest, Air Peace and the NLC had already reached an amicable settlement, and the airline had withdrawn its petition, restoring a positive working relationship between the two parties.